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Relative Difficulty of SoCal Six Pack of Peaks Routes
The SoCal Six Pack of Peaks Challenge has grown over the years by adding an additional six alternative peaks to the original six for a total of 12 summits to choose from. Hikers have also chosen to take alternate routes to the top of these peaks, some of them not identified in the challenge. This results in many combinations of routes and peaks that can be used to accomplish the challenge. Hikers have claimed credit for achieving the peak even though it may have been done via a route that is not identified in the challenge. These alternate routes may be easier or more difficult than the standard routes.
There is frequent chatter on social media about which peak, or route is more difficult than another. So, I’ve developed a ranked list of many of the routes from hardest to easiest based on objective data that I’ve collected from each hike recorded with my Garmin GPS. This is not a complete list, but it includes the routes that I have completed. I will add to the list and refine the data as I complete more routes and collect more data.
Rank Peak Route
1.0 Mt Baldy Old Baldy Trail – Bear Flat
1.2 Mt San Gorgonio Vivian Creek
1.8 Mt San Jacinto Deer Springs
3.4 Mt San Gorgonio South Fork
3.8 Mt Wilson Sierra Madre
4.0 San Bernardino Pk Angelus Oaks
4.1 Santiago Pk Holy Jim Trail
4.9 Mt San Jacinto Marion Mountain
6.8 Mt Wilson Chantry Flats
6.9 Mt Baldy Manker Flats
7.1 Cucamonga Pk Icehouse Canyon
7.9 Ontario Pk Icehouse Canyon
11.6 Mt Baden-Powell Vincent Gap
14.3 Sitton Peak Ortega Oaks
15.0 Strawberry Peak Red Box
Ranking
I’ve refined the ranking scheme to add more information than the more conventional system that uses whole numbers to report rank such as 1,2,3, … A whole number ranking system for this list would give no information about the difference in difficulty between route 1 and 2 as compared to the difference in difficulty between route 2 and 3 or any other route ranked in the list. So, I’ve added a decimal number to show the relative difference in difficulty between each hike. For example, Mt Baldy via the Old Baldy Trail is the most difficult hike on the list, hence it’s 1.0 ranking. Strawberry Peak via Red Box is the easiest hike on the list, hence it’s 15.0 ranking. Mt San Gorgonio from Vivian Creek follows closely behind the Old Baldy Trail with a rank of 1.2. Note the difference in rank is only 0.2. Now look at the difference in rank between Mt San Jacinto via Deer Springs, ranked 1.8 and the next one on the list, which is Mt San Gorgonio via South Fork, ranked 3.4. The difference in rank of 1.6 (3.4-1.8) suggests a much greater difference in difficulty than between Old Baldy Trail (1.0) and San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek (1.2). So, the numerical difference in rank between routes indicates the difference in difficulty as compared to the other routes on the list. Please note that these rankings are solely relative to the other routes on the list and have no meaning with respect to other hikes not listed here.
Objective Data
The objective data used to develop the ranking system includes a) total elevation gain from start to summit, b) total distance from start to summit, and c) the steepness of the steepest portions of the summit hike. The hike down is ignored, which implicitly assumes the hike is an out and back or if a different route is used to descend that it has no effect on the overall difficulty of the hike. The elevation gain and total distance are easily recorded by GPS. Many hikes include a relatively flat approach, such as the distance from the trailhead or parking lot along a stream or valley to the point at the base of the mountain where the climb begins. There may also be plateaus or ridges that are relatively flat for a portion of the hike. These flatter sections are not included in the steepness portion of the ranking calculation.
As you review the rankings, please note that these are based on measured data only and do not account for subjective factors that will be different for each hiker or may change over time. For example, factors such as altitude, weather, health and fitness of the hiker on any particular day will vary. Acclimated hikers won’t have as much trouble with altitude as those coming straight from the coast. A hiker may be fit and strong on one hike and out of shape, dehydrated or sleep deprived on another. One hike may be on a chilly morning, and another may be on a hot summer day with full sun exposure. Some hikers are stronger climbers and prefer steep grades while others struggle with steepness. The objective data used for this ranking is constant and will be the same for everyone who attempts the climb. Each hiker should consider their own subjective factors in assessing the difficulty for their own hike.
Training Strategy
The original six peaks were presented as a progression of hikes with increasing difficulty for the purpose of training for another, bigger challenge such as the John Muir Trail or Mt Whitney. With all the additional peaks and routes that have been added, a challenger could easily pick 6 relatively easy hikes and still complete the challenge. The challenge is set up to allow this, and there is no problem with someone taking that approach. Getting out and hiking, even the easier peaks is great exercise and a good way to socialize and meet other hikers. However, if your intent is to train for a bigger hike and increase your challenge over six progressively tougher peaks, you may want to develop a plan for your challenge that achieves that goal.
Looking at the ranked list, there are logical groupings of hikes that are similar in difficulty and there are obvious gaps that differentiate larger differences in difficulty between groupings. With that in mind, one could build a training plan by picking one hike from each of the following six groupings of hikes to build a progression of increasingly difficult hikes.
Group Rank Peak Route
1 15.0 Strawberry Peak Red Box
1 14.3 Sitton Peak Ortega Oaks
2 11.6 Mt Baden-Powell Vincent Gap
2 7.9 Ontario Pk Icehouse Canyon
3 7.1 Cucamonga Pk Icehouse Canyon
3 6.9 Mt Baldy Manker Flats
3 6.8 Mt Wilson Chantry Flats
4 4.9 Mt San Jacinto Marion Mountain
4 4.1 Santiago Pk Holy Jim Trail
4 4.0 San Bernardino Pk Angelus Oaks
5 3.8 Mt Wilson Sierra Madre
5 3.4 Mt San Gorgonio South Fork
6 1.8 Mt San Jacinto Deer Springs
6 1.2 Mt San Gorgonio Vivian Creek
6 1.0 Mt Baldy Old Baldy Trail – Bear Flat
So, to build a progressive training plan, for the first hike you could choose Strawberry Peak or Sitton Peak, then for the second hike you could pick Mt Baden-Powell or Ontario Pk, and so on. Note that many of the hikes added after the original six are easier. The first three hikes of the original six are all in group 3 above. So, if you are looking for a training challenge, you may choose to skip groups 1 and 2 and pick from the more difficult hikes in groups 3 through 6.
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2 Replies
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Thanks for the thorough analysis, Ryan.
I’d add a couple of points.
First, before you tackle any of the peaks, whether it be Sitton or Strawberry first, do hikes of similar distance and total vertical locally. When I was developing the SoCal Six-Pack, I was living in south Orange County, so I hiked in San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove State Park and other close-to-home trails. It is possible to get the mileage and net vertical gain (though not the elevation) with local, roller-coaster style trails (up, down, up, down).
Second, everyone handles elevation differently, and that was one of the reasons we started with a “harder” hike on Mount Wilson. Personally, I start to feel the effects of elevation when I get above 10,000 feet, but some people actually find they have to turn around because of how it affects them.
Finally, how difficult a trail is will also be affected by other factors, including weather (i.e. hiking in heat) and your own body (how you slept, what you ate, etc.).
All things being equal, you’ve created a great list!
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Thanks for your feedback. I agree with your points about individual factors like elevation, weather, etc. I referred to them as subjective factors as opposed to objective factors. Each hiker needs to assess their own subjective factors.
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